I see other people posting their 2yr roster so here's mine. I go a little different than the traditional L1,L2,L3... And LW C RW ect. I go by roles so 1C, 2C, 7Forward ect. So here we go. Also I'm not presuming Stamkos signs, if he were too obviously things change.
1C - Kadri - can play the tough mins. I think he will break out again soon. He looks like he's developing into a Bergeron lite under Babs.
2C - Nylander - it would be his 2nd full season at most so let him stay in sheltered mins.
3C - Logan Brown - I'm not banking on the 1OA pick. Puljiarvi (sp?) looks good but Chyruchin I'm not too big on. Alex Nylander looks good but I think he'll be 10-15. Logan Brown looks pretty good and he's big. Plus Shanahan played w his dad in Hartford I believe. So there is a connection as there has been w Kappanen Shoshnikov Will Ny and Marner. I can see it happening. Plus it would be nice to have a big power Centre.
1W - JVR - I know some ppl think he should get traded but honestly even if he does have an NTC I don't see him not waving it in his final year if they trade him to a competitive team. Plus he's a great finisher on a top line.
2W - Marner - another given.
7F - Komarov - I think they bring him back when hi contract expires. He's exactly the type of player Babs likes.
8F - Gauthier - Controversial TL some but he is an elite defensive talent. As a Defensive shutdown C to be deployed in a similar defensive sense to Jay McClemment (but not 20 ****ing mins a night...).
1D - Cpt. Morgan Rielly - cuz duh.
2D - Gardiner - the Seabrook to Rielly's Keith. I've also noticed this year under Babs he's become an absolute ******** to play against. He's physical in a chippy sense, and he keeps his feet moving. Your new age DFD everyone.
3D - Phanuef - I'm back and forth with him, I love guys with power shots but he's not exactly the most agile guy and gets beat around the rush quite often. He's also being paid $7m and any trade involving him we'd likely be retaining salary and downgrading in the position. So I'm currently leaning towards make it work w him, as by the time this team is truly competing his contract will be expiring and he will either be taking a payout to try and win w us or be replaced.
4D - I'm making a bold prediction here. I'm calling Kyle Quincey goes to UFA and signs as a leaf. I have zero evidence to support this, I just would like to see it. Adds another solid veteran who will have a couple good years left in him when we're competitive, and a guy who can help insulate a more offensive guy like Valiev or Zadorov (sp? The Russian defenseman in the KHL who we tried to sign this past offseason but apparently will be happening next offseason) while a more densive guy like Percy plays with Phanuef so Dion can be Dion.
Starter - I want to believe it will be James. I really really do. Going into this season my opinion was neither of these guys were capable of being a starting G. But Riemer gave me leafs again and he's such a good guy but my gut tells me this is his swan song as a leaf. Weather he walks away at the end to greener pastures or is traded away for more picks, I don't see it ending well. But on the off chance he does stick this spot is his.
This all said the rest of the Forwad spots can be filled by Holland/Carrick/Levio/Johnson/Kappanen/Connor Brown/Shoshnikov/Panik/Timashov/Lupul.
Defensive spots can be filled by Percy/Harrington/Corrado/Valiev and Nilson if he develops that quickly.
Finally Goaltending really is only 3 routes. Either one of Sparks/Bibeau take the net from Bernier after Riemer leaves or one of them backs up Riemer. Or the darkest timeline and neither are good enough and Riemer walks away so we either trade a kings ransom for somebody like Gibson or acquire someone through UFA that probably isn't all that great.
So to put this in more conventional view
JVR - Kadri - Komarov
- Nylander -
- L. Brown - Marner
- Gauthier -
Gardiner - Rielly
- Phanuef
Quincey -
Riemer
